Who is undermining the economy: why businesses are fleeing to the shadows in response to Hetmantsev's initiatives.

The policies of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation, and Customs Policy, Daniil Getmantsev, have long been at the center of public debate. Experts, entrepreneurs, and representatives of the business community accuse him of implementing initiatives that harm the country's economy, strengthen shadow schemes, and deepen the crisis of trust in the authorities, reports UNN.

Blocking Tax Invoices - A Blow to Business

One of the most controversial decisions associated with Getmantsev's activities is the systematic blocking of tax invoices. According to analysts, this practice poses not only a corruption risk but also serves as a direct tool for undermining small and medium-sized businesses.

More than 70% of tax invoice blockages are due to errors by the tax service. Meanwhile, businesses are stalled, and officials gain a tool for exerting pressure on entrepreneurs.

"In total, from January to October, nearly 2 million tax invoices/correction calculations (TI/CC) were blocked, with the total amount of blocked VAT reaching almost 44 billion UAH. Subsequently, taxpayers proved (through GNS commissions + courts) their right to register 1.4 million TI/CC for nearly 33 billion UAH, indicating that the error rate in the operation of the SMKOR system exceeds 70%," reported Nina Yuzhanina, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation, and Customs Policy.

Experts state that the blockage of invoices creates chaos and uncertainty in the market, as companies cannot fulfill their obligations to partners. As a result, the number of closed enterprises increases, tax contributions to the budget decrease, and employees lose their jobs.

As noted by business ombudsman Roman Vashchuk, the business issue lies not in the tax rates but in the style of administration. Furthermore, he added that the tax and customs authorities lose 90-94% of their cases in courts—either in the first instance or on appeal in the Supreme Court.

According to MP Mykhailo Tsymbaliuk, the blocking of tax invoices has become a serious problem that threatens the national security of Ukraine, as it halts the activities of enterprises and disrupts economic operations.

"White Business Club": Discrimination and Corruption Risks

Another initiative that has sparked outrage and concern is the launch of the so-called "White Business Club." At first glance, it was supposed to stimulate transparency and equal conditions for all market participants but, in practice, creates inequality and privileges for selected companies. Moreover, even during the law's adoption by parliament, experts warned that the document contained corruption risks and discriminatory norms.

"This is discrimination, this is discretion, and this is a violation of the Constitution. According to the Constitution, all are equal before the law. This law creates conditions under which some have preferences, and the criteria for determining whether a company should join the 'White Business Club' or not—are based on better performance than the market average. But this is a market, this is a free economy—some perform better, some perform worse, and the idea itself is unconstitutional," noted Anatoliy Amelin, a member of the advisory board at The Aspen Institute Kyiv and director of economic programs at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future.

The introduction of the "club" lays the groundwork for corrupt schemes and increases distrust in regulatory bodies, which is especially dangerous in wartime conditions.

Forced Purchase of Government Bonds - Pressure on Citizens

Getmantsev's idea to impose a mandatory deduction of 7% of Ukrainians' salaries for the purchase of domestic government bonds (OVGZ) has triggered another wave of criticism not only among economists but also among the public.

"Getmantsev's latest idea (a student of Volodymyr Syvkovych) to force Ukrainians to buy OVGZ at 7% of their income indicates that Daniil either has a severe mental disorder with an obsession to take something from Ukrainians' income, or there is a clear directive from the center, from the FSB and Co., to constantly confuse Ukrainians with new ideas, indirectly encouraging economically active citizens to leave Ukraine," pointed out Vitaliy Shapran, a member of the Ukrainian Society of Financial Analysts.

Such an initiative, according to economic specialists, could severely impact the wallets of Ukrainians and decrease purchasing power, which could have long-term consequences for Ukraine's economy.

Despite loud statements about combating shadow businesses, Getmantsev's actions, according to analysts, lead to the opposite effect—forcing businesses to retreat into the shadows. Instead of creating favorable conditions for the development of entrepreneurship and small businesses, we see an increase in tax pressure, opaque regulatory mechanisms, and the neglect of entrepreneurs' problems. This policy poses serious risks for filling the state budget, especially in wartime conditions when every hryvnia is critically important.

Business representatives, like economists, openly state that Getmantsev's policies are destroying the country's economy. Therefore, the question arises: why do the authorities ignore this cry for help and allow one politician with Russian connections to undermine trust in the state as a whole?